How accurate is Birdsong's bird identifier?

It runs Google's Perch, a research-grade acoustic model covering nearly 15,000 species. When a call is ambiguous, we say so honestly and let you record a second clip to confirm, rather than guessing.

Is my recording stored?

No. Your audio is used to identify the bird in the moment and isn't saved to our servers. The birds you confirm are kept as cards in your own field journal; the recordings themselves are not.

Is the bird identifier free?

Yes — identify birds every day for free, no account required. Birdsong Pro ($3.99/mo or $39.99/yr) unlocks unlimited IDs, full field guides, your growing collection, and shareable Field Report cards.

Do I need an account or internet to identify a bird?

You'll need a connection to identify, since the AI runs in the cloud. No account is needed to try it — sign in with Google or email to save your field journal and sync it across devices.

Birdsong field guide

Little Curlew

Numenius minutus

The Little Curlew is the smallest member of the Numenius genus, a dainty shorebird resembling a miniature Whimbrel with a shorter, less decurved bill. It is a remarkable long-distance migrant that travels between the Siberian taiga and the grasslands of Australia.

What it sounds like

A loud, musical, and high-pitched 'te-te-te' or 'pi-pi-pi' whistling sound, often heard in flight.

Reference call, compare with what you heard

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Rec. Bo Shunqi 薄顺奇 · ChinaCC BY-NC-SA Xeno-canto

Field notes

It is the smallest curlew species in the world, measuring only about 29 to 32 centimeters in length.
Unlike most curlews, it frequently avoids coastal mudflats in favor of dry inland habitats like airfields and scorched grasslands.
It breeds in loose colonies on dry, rocky mountain slopes within the Siberian larch forest-tundra zone.
Large congregations of over 100,000 individuals have been recorded on the floodplains of Northern Australia during the non-breeding season.
The species is known for its highly gregarious nature, often feeding and roosting in tight, synchronized flocks.

Habitat

Dry grasslands, claypans, and burnt savannahs during winter; montane forest openings and subalpine meadows for breeding.

Range

Breeds in North-central Siberia; winters primarily in Northern Australia and Southern New Guinea, migrating via East Asia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

Bristle-thighed CurlewNumenius tahitiensis Eskimo CurlewNumenius borealis Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata Eurasian WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus Far Eastern CurlewNumenius madagascariensis Hudsonian WhimbrelNumenius hudsonicus Long-billed CurlewNumenius americanus Slender-billed CurlewNumenius tenuirostris

Heard a Little Curlew?

Open Birdsong, tap record, and identify the bird singing near you in seconds — then collect it in your field journal.

Identify a bird by its song